Kids and Critters

Spring is a dangerous time for me.  There are so many cute babies around.  I want to bring them all home.  The kids love the animals.  Mia has no fear of any of them.  I worry about this a bit but I'm also glad she isn't afraid.  I want her to be careful but not fearful.  Bear is more worried but still loves the animals.  They can freak him out a bit though.  He doesn't like a fast moving chicken or a cat that scratches.  That is okay too.


I'm am sorely tempted to go get about three more chicks.  I would have to do some more modifications to the chicken area though and I just got done with a bunch.  I think I'll hold off until next spring.  I have to make myself. 


I'm surprised how much I've liked the chickens.  I've always kind of been grossed out by chickens.  Especially chicken meat.  I like to eat it but I hate to handle it.  I can butcher red meat but chicken meat is just gross.  Not sure why but it is just a yuck factor that I have to deal with.  The eggs don't bother me much though.  Well, unless they are just barely cooked.  Then the texture can get to me. 


One thing I like is that my kids are getting to know where their food comes from.  My kids know where eggs come from and where meat comes from.  I want them involved in the process so they know their food.  I want them to know how to raise their own food as adults and not feel like it is an impossible task.


Besides, it is pretty darn adorable when Miss Mia picks up a chicken and pets it and talks to it.  She does the same to her cat and I think she would to the dogs if they didn't outweigh her.  She does lay on the floor with them and talks to them while petting them.  Bear loves the animals too but is less lovey-dovey with them.  He and the cat like to snuggle in bed though.  He needs a new kitten since his got killed over the winter.  Good thing spring is here and the kittens will be born soon.


I've been cleaning up outside from the winter.  We moved the chickens to a different area to open up the yard so there is a lot of raking over there to do.  I need to put onions and maybe potatoes in.  I have all sorts of seeds I need to start.  Lots to do.


Yesterday I put lots of it off and did some inside paperwork clean-up.  Today I need to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.  It is supposed to be almost 70 degrees after all.  I should dig some beds too.  I think I'll sit out there and spin for an hour or so and then I'll dig some beds and rake.  I did get my grapes pruned yesterday.  Little-by-little it will get done.

Spring. At Least for Today.

We've had some nice temperatures the last couple of days and our snow is gone.  That leads to mud.  Lots of mud.  I got a little stuck in the driveway coming home yesterday.  I say only a little stuck because I never had to get out to push and we made it out just fine, but it did take some rocking back and forth.  Things like this never fail to entertain the kids.  We've had a couple of fun experiences getting up a big hill by our house too.  It has just the right amount of incline that with the right conditions it is impossible to get up it with our two-wheel drive.  Luckily we can go around if we need to but it takes more time and usually means being late.  It is one thing I do really like about farm country though.  Pretty much every road has two or four different ways you can go.  Everything is laid out in grids and everything connects for the most part.  About the only hang up is the river and there are multiple crossings but sometimes you have to go several miles to get to that other crossing.  Same with train tracks.  We do have a lot of train crossings.  When I go to the farmer's market the one direction I think I cross the tracks twice with a couple of blocks.  Each town is divided by the tracks and then two of the towns are divided by the river.


So, back to the mud and spring...  I know it isn't done being winter yet.  It never seems to let go easily or this early.  I am enjoying the warmer weather though.  I'll know it is spring when I see the crocus come up.  One field I drive by is starting to green.  I think they must have a wheat crop in.


I've been burning weeds.  The wet has helped to keep things under control but things are still dry.  Tumbleweeds are incredible flammable when you don't want them to be but won't burn when you do want them to.


While I burned yesterday the kids played in the mud.  We have one spot in the backyard/garden that is a hole from the kids and dogs and there gets to be quite the mud hole there.  The kids love it.  They were covered head to toe in the grey gunk.  Luckily it washes right out of the clothes if you get them rinsed and straight into the washer.  I don't dare leave them when the kids are that muddy.  It was even nice enough that the kids stripped down outside and they didn't freeze.


The chickens are loving the nice weather too.  I'm going to move them.  There is a shed that I am going to move them into.  Their coop will move too, but this way they'll have more protection from the wind.  I'm just hoping that by moving them they don't become dinner for some predator.  It is a bit further from the house but they need the protection from the weather and I need to be able to keep them more out of the garden during the growing season.  They are lovely right now in the garden but not so much when we have lush baby plants coming up.